Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Power of 10

I knit 10 projects for Single Skein September 2010

This hat is the only project that took more than one ball of yarn. It took 4. That's 4 small balls held double.

I learned to knit 10 years ago. I was living in a new city and unemployed in that depressing stage of looking for work. I don't remember exactly why I chose to take a knitting class at the Yarn Barn. It could have been because I had already taken all their weaving classes, or because I thought the yarn I was spinning might be more suited to knitting than weaving. It was for sure because I was a bit jealous of all the socks being knit at the Weaving Guild meetings.

I don't remediable the exact reason but I do remember that the class was learning to knit felted mittens. By the end of the class I had finished 3 pairs of mittens, 2 hats, a pair of socks, and started on a lace shawl. In those 9 weeks I learned to knit on double points, find gauge and do the math to make hats or socks that fit, knit cables, turn a heel, and knit lace.

And while I may not remember why knitting in the beginning I do remember clearly the day that I started knitting more than weaving. It was 6 years ago. I had just spent 6 months spinning the yarn to weave these fine huck lace scarves. 6 months of spinning and I was done weaving over a 3 day weekend. That was anticlimactic and just took the wind out of my sails. Now I can spend a 3 day weekend spinning and have enough yarn to knit with for a month maybe two.

5 years ago I discovered yarn buying. Who knew? That has become it's very own entity.